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American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)

4 Timber Techniques from Sacred Spaces You Can Use [Monday MINUTE]

Published about 8 hours ago • 4 min read

August 17, 2026, Edition

#CreatingWherePeopleLive

This weekly newsletter

is created by and for those designing homes in North America.

Its editorial staff is the American Institute of Building Design, Inc., the premier association of residential design professionals.

Here's what you get:

  • Field Notes
  • Nuts & Bolts
  • Highlights
  • Workshops & Gatherings
  • What We're Up To
  • Amazing sponsors who help keep this newsletter free for the industry.

Let's dive in.

Email servers may truncate this newsletter because it is too long. Read the complete Monday Minute at AIBD.org/mondayminute.

If you received this as a forward, become one of our many delighted subscribers. Get insider access by signing up!​

Please support our sponsor:

Why it's great to partner with Provia:

Their philosophy, often referred to as The Professional Way, emphasizes accountability and integrity, ensuring that the products you specify are delivered with the same care you put into your drawings.

Field Notes

Cooling Inflation Means Good News for Mortgage Rates

Easing inflation and stabilized interest rates reduce borrowing costs for clients, giving homeowners the financial confidence to move forward on stalled custom design and remodeling projects.

Source: Elliot Eisenberg, Economist at Graphs & Laughts

DOE home-building cost study pushes back on 2024 IEEC provisions

Understanding these potential upfront cost surges—and the pushback from federal agencies—can help you better navigate client budgets, value-engineering discussions, and regional energy code updates.

Source: Concrete Products

Lynchburg nonprofit hosts LEGO home-building competition to support affordable housing

The Lynchburg Covenant Fellowship is hosting its annual LEGO Home Building Contest, inviting local creators and businesses to design original, custom homes to raise funds for housing assistance in Central Virginia.

Check out this year's entries.

Source: ABC 13 News

Nuts & Bolts

Sacred structures: How timber shapes the architecture of worship

The exact techniques elevating sacred spaces—such as exposed glulam trusses, integrated structural rainwater management, high-performance R-40 SIP envelopes, and acoustic resonance—can be directly applied to modern custom residential design. Leveraging off-site timber fabrication allows you to achieve stunning, warmth-filled architectural statements while drastically reducing jobsite waste, noise, and assembly timelines.

Source: The Construction Specifier

Please support our sponsor:

Our smooth, quiet, and dependable door and window automation systems are preferred by leading architects, designers, builders, and installers globally.

For more information, call 480-500-5468 today or visit https://www.summitautomation.com/AIBD​

Highlights

Welcome New Members

And those returning

J.R. Ruthig, TR Design Group (MI), Professional

Savannah R. Sanders, Caviness and Cates (NC), Student

J. Grant Douglas, Douglas Designer Homes LLC (OK), Professional

Zach Mainwaring (CO), Student

Wally Eastland, LPR Design Studio (CA), Professional

Thanks for Referring AIBD

This week's movers and shakers:

Welcome to the Compass Club, Todd Tucker, CPBD, and thanks for sending us a new Student Member! 🎉🥳

Workshops & Gatherings

AIBD Chapters, Boards, and Councils

Click the links to view the topics and add them to your calendar.

New August 19 - Eastern Shore Chapter (Virtual) - 3:30 pm ET

September 2 - Board of Directors - everyone welcome!

September 4 - AIBD Office Hour (Virtual) - 11:00 am ET - 60 minutes (or so) of open discussion and collaboration (Members Only)

Registration Open: September 24 - AIBD Colorado Connect - 9 am to 4 pm - Douglas County Libraries, 100 S. Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, CO, 80104

November 17 - National Council of Building Designer Certification (NCBDC) quarterly meeting

New February 2, 2027 - AIBD's Viva Las Pizza Party (In Person) - Las Vegas, NV - 5:30 to 9:00 pm - More info to come.

AIBD Webinars

August 18 - ​High-Performance Homes Team​ - 2:00 p.m. ET - Passive Survivability (1.0 P4 CE)

August 25 - CE Watch Party - 2:00 p.m. ET (45 min) - Top Recommended Books on Sketching & Drawing for Designers (1.0 P3 CE)

September 1 - Members Helping Members: A Wall Bracing Methodology for Residential Design, by Seda Collier

September 11 - Coffee with Bernie - 10:00 a.m. ET - Rising Stars. Meet AIBD's future. (1.0 Elective CE)

Please support our sponsor:

Training Events

Hosted By AIBD CE Providers

AEC Daily - ​Look for in-person and virtual events.

CEDIA Expo 2026 - September 1-4, 2026 - Denver, CO - Registration is open!​

Green Home Institute - ​Look for in-person and virtual events.

New International Builders Show - February 2-4, 2027 - Registration opens September 1.

NEW NAHB Fall Leadership Meeting - October 6-8, 2026, Detroit, MI - Registration is open!​

NEW SelectSIPs Expo and Annual Meeting 2027 - March 8-9, 2027 - Phoenix, AZ - Registration is Open!​

SoftPlan - Virtual & On-Demand Training​

Traditional Building Conference - November 3-4, 2026 - Charleston, SC. Registration is Open​

What We're Up to

Seeking Committee Volunteers

We rely on volunteers to help drive our mission forward. Whether you’re a seasoned design professional or simply passionate about the industry, we’d love to have you on board. From participating in committees to mentoring the next generation of designers, there are plenty of ways to get involved and make a meaningful impact. If you’re interested in volunteering with us, please reach out to learn more about current opportunities.

ICYMI - Watch the replay of the 2026 AIBD Annual Membership Meeting

Originally held on July 29, 2026

The meeting was held to update members and associates on organizational activities, financial status, future plans, introduce incoming officers and board members, and discuss key operational and committee reports for the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD).

Have a triumphant week.

Thank you to our AIBD Corporate Partners. Their generous support champions our profession, and we encourage you to support them in return.

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American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)

The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) is a professional association that promotes the highest standards of excellence in residential building design. AIBD offers a variety of resources to its members, including continuing education, networking opportunities, and marketing assistance. AIBD is a valuable resource for anyone interested in a career in residential building design. If you want to improve your skills, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, AIBD is the perfect organization for you.

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